Building structure and method of erecting same

ABSTRACT

A building structure comprises vertical columns, prefabricated floor slabs supported by the vertical columns and horizontal steel beams supported on the upper ends of the vertical columns. Each horizontal beam includes a bottom flange and an upwardly extending vertical leg, the bottom flanges being fixed to the vertical columns, and the ends of the prefabricated floor slabs being supported on the upper faces of the flanges and being fixed by concrete to them and to the vertical legs of the beams. The beams thus provide temporary support during the erection of the building and permanent reinforcement for the finished building structure, and in addition, when erecting the building, their vertical legs serve as tracks for a small portable crane which is used to convey the floor slabs, thus speeding-up the laying of the floor and decreasing the crane hoisting-time.

United States Patent 1 Boros 1 1 July 31, 1973 [76] Inventor: Yedidya Boros, 75 Pinsker St.,

Rishon Le Zion, Israel 22 Filed: Oct. 1 ,1971

21 Appl. No.: 189,872

5/1960 Finland 52/745 Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr.

- Att0rneyBenjamin J. Barish [57] ABSTRACT A building structure comprises vertical columns, prefabricated floor slabs supported by the vertical columns and horizontal steel beams supported on the upper ends of the vertical columns. Each horizontal beam includes a bottom flange and an upwardly extending vertical leg, the bottom flanges being fixed to the vertical columns, and the ends of the prefabricated floor slabs being supported on the upper faces of the flanges and being fixed by concrete to them and to the vertical legs of the beams. The beams thus provide temporary support during the erection of the building and permanent reinforcement for the finished building structure, and in addition, when erecting the building, their vertical legs serve as tracks for a small portable crane which is used to convey the floor slabs, thus speeding-up the laying of the floor and decreasing the crane hoisting-time.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures BUILDING STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF ERECTING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to building structures and to methods of erecting same, particularly prefabricated building structures.

Many systems for erecting prefabricated buildings are presently being used. In these systems, the various components of the building, such as the vertical loadbearing elements (e.g., columns or complete walls), the floor slabs, partition panels, etc., are prefabricated at the factory or at the building site and are then assembled at the building site. A large crane is usually provided at the building site for hoisting the various components into position. The crane-hoisting time is a very substantial factor in the total time required to erect the building, and the time required for hoisting the individual prefabricated floor slabs is a very large part of the total crane-hoisting time for erecting the building. In addition, the floor slabs are very heavy, and therefore the crane must be of the appropriate large size to handle them.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides a building structure of improved reinforced-structural design, and also a method of erecting same which permitsa substantial reduction in the total crane-hoisting time for erecting the buliding, and also permits the use of cranes which are of smaller size and therefore less expensivethan heretofore required.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building structure including a plurality of spaced vertical load-bearing elements (e.g., columns or continuous walls) disposed in at least two parallel spaced lines, and a plurality of prefabricated floor slabs supported by and extending between the vertical elements, characterized in that the building structure includes a plurality of horizontal beams supported by and extending lengthwise along each line of the vertical elements. Each of the beams includes a bottom flange and a vertical leg extending upwardly therefrom. The bottom flanges are fixed to the vertical element, and the ends of the floor slabs are supported on the upper faces of the bottom flanges.

According to a further feature of the invention, the building structure includes a plurality of stories each as described above. In each story, the upper ends of the vertical elements, the beams, and the floor slabs are fixed by concrete, and at the same time the lower ends of the vertical elements of the next higher story are fixed by concrete.

According to a still further feature, the vertical loadbea'ring elements are spaced steel beams each enclosed within a concrete sheath, which sheath is applied at the same time the previously-mentioned concrete is applied.

The foregoingfeatures provide a number of advantages, both in the building structure itself and also in the method of erecting the building structure.

Thus, the horizontal beams provide excellent reinforcement for the complete building structure. Further, during the erection of the building thesehorizontal beams provide support for the floor panels of its respective story, without waiting for the concrete to be floor slabs to their locations between the flanges of the beams. For this purpose a wheeled vehicle is 'used which may be a small portable crane provided especially for lifting the prefabricated floor slabs from the ground and conveying them along these tracks to their proper locations. The main crane is thus freed from most of the work of hoisting the prefabricated floor panels and conveying them to their proper locations. This arrangement substantially reduces the total cranehoisting time in erecting the building. In addition, it permits the use of smaller-size, and therefore lessexpensive, cranes.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is herein described, somewhat diagrammatically and by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a building in the process of being constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the building of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one of the building of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view, in section, of a floor-slabvertical'column joint, before application of the binding cement, illustrating the function of the beam to serve as a track for a portable crane during erection of the building;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the joint of FIG.

stories of the FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the joint of FIG. 4 after the application of the binding cement;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line VIIVII of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a preferred modification wherein the horizontal beams do not overlie their respective vertical columns.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The building structure illustrated in the drawings is a multi-story building with each story including a plurality of similarly-constructed sections. Thus, FIG. 1 illustrates the new erection scheme as being applied to the third story of the building; and as shown in FIG. 2, this is merely one (Section A) of a plurality of sections of the building, there being similar sections (e.g., B and C) on each side of the central section illustrated.

As indicated earlier, the prefabricated building site usually includes a main crane, here generally designated 2, for hoisting the various prefabricated components to their proper levels and for conveying them to their respective positions in which they are to be assembled. The main prefabricated components, insofar as involved in the present invention, are load-bearing vertical columns 4, prefabricated floor slabs 6, and partition or wall panels 8. In the described embodiment of the present invention, main crane 2 is used for hoisting and conveying the prefabricated vertical columns 4 and wall panels 8, but not the prefabricated floor slabs 6. The latter are hoisted and conveyed by a small portable crane which travels along tracks formed by elements of the building structure during the erection of the building as will be described more fully below.

FIGS. 1 3 illustrate the erection of the third story of the building, it being understood that each story is erected in the same manner.

In erecting any particular story of the building, the load-bearing vertical columns 4 for that story are first placed in position for the reception of the prefabricated floor slabs 6 supported by these columns. The vertical columns for each story are fixed in position at the time the adjacent lower story is completed, as will be described more fully below. FIG. 1 illustrates the situation wherein the vertical columns 4' of the third story have already been erected for receiving the floor slabs 6' which serve as the ceiling of the third story and the floor of the fourth story of the building.

As shown particularly in FIG. 4, a plurality of inverted T-section steel beams 12 are laid horizontally on top of the vertical columns 4'. The vertical columns are arranged in parallel spaced lines, and the beams 12 extend lengthwise along each line of columns. Each beam 12 includes a horizontal bottom flange 14 and an upwardly-extending vertical leg 16. The prefabricated floor slabs 6' are supported on the upper faces of the bottom flanges 14, one on each side of the vertical legs 16 of the beams, the slabs being slightly spaced laterally from the vertical leg.

The vertical legs 16 of the beams 12 form parallel spaced tracks 17 extending along the lines of the vertical columns 4'. Each pair of these tracks 17' accomodate the wheels (one shown at 22 in FIG. 4) of the small portable crane 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is used for hoisting the prefabricated floor panels 6 and conveying them to their proper locations between the horizontal beams 12.

As shown particularly in FIG. 1, the floor panels 6 are piled on a cart 24 on the ground level, and a platform 26 overlying the cart 6 is provided for the portable crane 10. The portable crane 10 moves along tracks 17 formed by vertical legs 16 of the steel beams 12 onto platform 26 which includes continuation tracks 26'. When the portable crane 10 is on platform 36 overlying the cart 24, a hoisting mechanism 28 provided on crane 10 lifts one of the prefabricated floor slabs 6 from the cart and onto the crane, and the crane then travels along the tracks to the proper location for depositing same between the flanges 14 of the steel beams. Temporary props 30 and braces 32 are used to support the floor slabs during this phase of the building erection.

The load-bearing vertical columns 4 are also steel beams. The horizontal T-section beams 12 are fixed to the vertical beams 4 in any suitable manner, such as by the use of cleats 30 and bolts 32 (FIG. 5), before the beams are used for conveying the floor slabs 6.

After the floor is laid the vertical columns 4" (FIGS. 5 and 6) of the next story are placed on top of beams 12 in alignment with the vertical column 4' of the preceding story. Concrete is then introduced into the joint to bind together the vertical columns 4 and 4" of the two stories, the steel beam 12 between them, and the floor slabs 6' serving as the ceilingof the third story and the floor of the fourth story.

FIG. 7 illustrates a section through one of the vertical load-bearing columns 4. Each of these columns is made of two U-section steel beams 34 joined together at spaced intervals by welded plates 36. This beam construction is used for supporting the horizontal beams 12 as described earlier. After all the floor panels are in position, and the vertical beams 4" of the next higher story are applied on top of beams 4 of the preceding story, concrete 20 is applied to bind all these elements together as described earlier. The concrete is preferably also applied so as to fill the space within the vertical beam sections 34, as shown at 20' in FIG. 7, and also to form an external concrete sheath enclosing the vertical beam for its complete length, as shown at 20". This may be done in any suitable manner, for example by applying a wire envelope (FIGS. 6 and 7) which ex-' tends around the vertical beam for its complete length, and also around its joint with the beam of the next higher story. After the wire envelope is applied, concrete 20 is introduced to fill the spaces in the joint between the two vertical beams 4-, 4", to completely enclose the horizontal beam 12, and also to extend the complete length of the vertical beam 4'. The concrete sheath provides reinforcement and also fire protection for the vertical beams 4.

After one section (A) is completed, platform 26 and portable crane 10 are transferred to the next section (e.g., B in FIG. 2) by the main crane, and then the floor slabs of that section are laid. The process is thus repeated for all the sections of that story. After the floor of the complete story is laid, the partition wall panels 8 are then laid. When the next story is to be erected, platform 26 and portable crane 10 are both transferred to the next story by the main crane 2.

The vertical columns may have their lower ends formed with recesses or the like to accomodate the vertical legs 12 of the beams in the adjacent lower story. It is preferred, however, to apply the beams 12 so that the ends of the beams do not overlie the top of their respective vertical columns 4. In order to provide continuity of the tracks 17 formed by the vertical legs 16 of the beams, when using the portable crane 12 to convey the floor slabs, temporary plates 112 (FIG. 8) are placed on top of the vertical columns. Each temporary plate 112 includes a pair of welded supporting tabs which rest against the bottom flanges 16 of beams 12. After the laying of the floor is completed by the use of the portable crane travelling along tracks 17, temporary plates 112 are removed and the lower ends of the vertical columns 4 of the adjacent higher story are apthewall panels 8. In the previously known prcfabricated building systems, as indicated earlier, hoisting and conveying the floor slabs constituted a very large part of the workload of the main crane 2, both from the standpoint of time and weight. Thus in the previous systems, the large number of such floor slabs required to be hoisted and conveyed took a large part of the working time of the maincrane, and because these floor slabs were of very great weight, being about 7-8 tons each, the crane had to be of a very large size in order to handle them. By the present invention, the workload for handling the floor slabs is mainly allocated to the small portable crane 10 because of the provision of the tracks 16 formed by the steel beams 12. Crane can handle this workload more quickly, efficiently, and at lower cost. Thus, the time for errecting the building is substantially reduced, and also the costs for the main crane 2 is also substantially reduced over and above the additional costs for the small portable crane 10, because of the reduction in the size of the main crane permitted by freeing it from the heavy loads of the floor slabs 6.

If desired, particularly for very high floors, platform 26 may be provided with a separate hoist, to lift the floor slabs 6 to the proper story before each is pickedup and conveyed by the small portable crane 10 to its proper location.

Another important advantage provided by the invention is that, during the erection of the building, the horizontal beams 12 provide support for the prefabricated floor panels and the other elements of the respective story until the concrete has been applied and has set; and in the completedbuilding structure, these horizontal beams provide excellent reinforcement for the conerete. Thus, the erection of the building can proceed at a very rapid pace since it is not necessary, in erecting each story, to wait until the concrete has been applied and has set for the preceding story.

The floor slabs may be any of the commonly used prefabricated floor slabs, such as double-T concrete slabs. The space within the slabs may be used for running the piping and the like, and the slabs may include a lightweight covering, e.g., of plasterboard. The partitions 8 may be hoisted by the main crane 2 and fixed in position after the complete floor is laid. Since these partitions are of light-weight, the main crane 2 can hoist a pile of such partitions at one time.

In addition, the small portable crane 10 may be used for lifting complete prefabricated rooms, such as shown at 50 in FIG. 3.

A further advantage of the system and method described is that it enables the erection of the building structure to continue even during the winter time when the temperature may be below 0C. While concrete is usually not cast when the temperature falls below 0C, by using the system of the present invention one can assemble the components of an upper floor before casting the lower floor, and then warm the lower floor to be cast.

It will be appreciated that horizontal beams 12 may be of other forms, e.g., an L-section beam or two L- section beams; and that the vertical beams 4 may also be of other forms, e.g., I-beams.

Further modifications, variations and applications of the invention will be apparent.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of erecting a building structure including a plurality of vertical load-bearing elements disposed in at least two parallel spaced lines, and a plurality of prefabricated floor slabs supported by and extending between said vertical elements, characterized in that the building structure includes a plurality of horizontal beams supported by said vertical elements and extending lengthwise along each of said lines thereof, each of said beams including a bottom flange and a vertical leg extending upwardly therefrom, said bottom flanges being fixed to said vertical elements, and the ends of said floor slabs being supported on the upper faces of said bottom flanges, comprising the steps of erecting said vertical load-bearing elements, supporting said beams on said vertical elements with the vertical legs of the beams forming two parallel spaced tracks each extending along one line of vertical elements, conveying said prefabricated floor slabs to their locations between the flanges of the beams by means of a wheeled vehicle travelling on said parallel spaced tracks formed by the vertical legs of the beams, and placing said prefabricated floor slabs on top of the flanges of their respective beams.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the further steps of applying concrete to the joints between said floor slabs, flanges, and vertical legs of the respective beams.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein said beams and said vertical load-bearing elements are steel beams, and wherein the concrete is applied to cover said vertical legs and to form a sheath around said vertical load-bearing beams.

4. The method as defined in claim 2, the building structure including a plurality of stories, wherein before the prefabricated floor slabs of one story are fixed by concrete to their respective beams and vertical loadbearing elements, the lower ends of the vertical elements of the adjacent higher story are placed on top of the upper ends of the vertical element oftthe adjacent lower story and are fixed at the same time by said concrete.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the beams are supported on their respective vertical loadbearing elements so that the ends of the beams do not overlie the tops of their respective vertical elements, and wherein temporary plates are introduced on the top of the respective vertical elements to provide continuity of the tracks when using the wheeled vehicle to convey the floor slabs, said temporary plates being removed and the lower ends of the vertical elements of the adjacent higher story being placed on top of said vertical elements before the concrete is introduced. 

1. A method of erecting a building structure including a plurality of vertical load-bearing elements disposed in at least two parallel spaced lines, and a plurality of prefabricated floor slabs supported by and extending between said vertical elements, characterized in that the building structure includes a plurality of horizontal beams supported by said vertical elements and extending lengthwise along each of said lines thereof, each of said beams including a bottom flange and a vertical leg extending upwardly therefrom, said bottom flanges being fixed to said vertical elements, and the ends of said floor slabs being supported on the upper faces of said bottom flanges, comprising the steps of erecting said vertical load-bearing elements, supporting said beams on said vertical elements with the vertical legs of the beams forming two parallel spaced tracks each extending along one line of vertical elements, conveying said prefabricated floor slabs to their locations between the flanges of the beams by means of a wheeled vehicle travelling on said parallel spaced tracks formed by the vertical legs of the beams, and placing said prefabricated floor slabs on top of the flanges of their respective beams.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the further steps of applying concrete to the joints between said floor slabs, flanges, and vertical legs of the respective beams.
 3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein said beams and said vertical load-bearing elements are steel beams, and wherein the concrete is applied to cover said vertical legs and to form a sheath around said vertical load-bearing beams.
 4. The method as defined in claim 2, the building structure including a plurality of stories, wherein before the prefabricated floor slabs of one story are fixed by concrete to their respective beams and vertical load-bearing elements, the lower ends of the vertical elements of the adjacent higher story are placed on top of the upper ends of the vertical element of the adjacent lower story and are fixed at the same time by said concrete.
 5. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein the beams are supported on their respective vertical load-bearing elements so that the ends of the beams do not overlie the tops of their respective vertical elements, and wherein temporary plates are introduced on the top of the respective vertical elements to provide continuity of the tracks when using the wheeled vehicle to convey the floor slabs, said temporary plates being removed and the lower ends of the vertical elements of the adjacent higher story being placed on top of said vertical elements before the concrete is introduced. 